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Friday, 16 October 2015

Palmate Sea Fan

Image: Peter Southwood
Leptogorgia palma
It's so difficult being gorgeous. Especially when you can't move at all.

Take the Palmate Sea Fan for instance.

Image: Peter Southwood
This gorgeous, branching coral is found along the coast of South Africa. Their bright red colour is most visible during the day. At night their white polyps emerge to catch food from the water, giving them a lovely, frosty appearance.

The whole colony can reach up to 2 metres (6.5 feet) in height, but given that they only grow about 15 mm (0.6 in) per year they can take over 100 years to reach full size! Which must make it particularly galling when they get unwanted attention from less-than-gorgeous hangers-on.

Image: Peter Southwood
Like drab shark eggs...

Image: Peter Southwood
Filth-encrusted bryozoans...

Image: Peter Southwood
Clingy Feather Stars...

Image: Peter Southwood
Ugly Basket Stars...

Image: Peter Southwood
Weird, bulbous things that may or may not be sponges...

Image: Peter Southwood
And random fish looking for a photo opportunity.

Image: Peter Southwood
It's such a burden to be this pretty.

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